


A Cure for Sleeping Problems

by mandykaysfic



Series: 40 fandoms in 40 days 2017 [3]
Category: Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Holodeck Character, Holodecks/Holosuites, M/M, neuropressure
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-03
Updated: 2017-03-03
Packaged: 2018-09-28 01:43:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10063214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mandykaysfic/pseuds/mandykaysfic
Summary: The EMH assigns Tom a project - to research drug free cures for sleeping problems. Tom discovers neuropressure.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Spock and McCoy are holocharacters in this fic.

Not all of the Doctor's assigned reading was boring. At least, he hadn't set these particular papers for Tom's homework, but Tom had ended up following a trail of references and come across an ancient Vulcan technique translated as 'neuropressure'. Dr Phlox, the CMO on the very first starship 'Enterprise' had written several articles, as had Dr McCoy, who had published his papers during his time on the Enterprise under Kirk's command. Finding in formation provided by the Vulcans had proved more difficult. 

According to Dr Phlox, it was a useful adjunct to assist with those who had trouble sleeping. Sleep disturbance was a common problem for quite a few of the Voyager crew. Being stranded in the Delta quadrant made for some fairly significant stressors: food and the lack of variety, quantity, quality or all three, equipment breakdown and the difficulty of acquiring replacement parts or materials, finding allies among the races native to the Delta quadrant and dealing with those who plain didn't like them, or wanted Voyager for themselves, the sheer time it would take them to get home and the small number of crew to do the job. 

The Doctor had asked Tom to research drugless methods of helping the crew to achieve more restful sleep. Sleepiness during shifts, memory problems, high blood pressure, weight gain, immunological issues and mood swings were some of the crew's complaints. Long term dependence on drugs was something the Doctor wished to avoid. He'd sent a memo to everyone, titled _Ten Tips for Dealing with Sleeplessness_ and even followed it up by quizzing them as to whether they'd read it and tried any of the recommendations whenever anyone came into Sickbay for anything.

Tom knew better than anyone that Chakotay suffered from sleeping problems. In the eight months they'd been living together, Tom had soon learnt Chakotay rarely slept more than an hour or two without waking. He also knew Chakotay had tried everything on the Doctor's list and then some. Warm milk, herbal preparations, meditation, warm baths, quiet music, regular exercise, sex; even the most mind blowing orgasms Tom could provide failed to calm his brain for more than a couple of hours.

It would seem that this neuropressure may have something to offer. According to the descriptions of the positions, Tom would need to get up close and personal with Chakotay, which wouldn't be a problem. However, it was not without risks, headaches being the least, and nerve damage more serious. It definitely called for some practice before trying it on Chakotay. 

He debated whether to ask Tuvok for assistance, or even Vorik, but decided to try writing a holodeck program first. Given he'd have to get assistance from Harry and B'Elanna to program the Doctor with the appropriate maneuvers to teach Tom, he decided to make a therapist-patient couple to demonstrate the techniques, combined with a patient he could learn on.

While Chakotay was engrossed in preparing the next roster rotation, Tom perfected his program. He shamelessly begged for an extra hour in the holodeck, citing his need to practice what the Doctor had him studying on people who wouldn't die if he made an error. It wasn't the first time he'd made such a request, and he truly did try to keep those to a minimum. As it happened, Tuvok had informed Chakotay the security team had no need for their regularly scheduled training session that week. Chakotay had planned to add the to the public session, but gave in to Tom's pleading, with the proviso he took one of the least popular times.

Two days later, at 0200 hours, Tom activated his neuropressure program. The room he now stood in was one he used in several other programs, including a bath house that had a therapy room attached, complete with a holographic masseur, currently absent. In his place stood Doctor McCoy and Mr Spock. The regular massage table was also absent. Instead, two thin mattresses lay on the floor, adjacent to one another but with enough space for Tom and Spock to sit or kneel as required. McCoy had already removed his shirt and taken his place, sitting on the mat as Spock, also now shirtless, directed. 

"Nothing like a Vulcan to teach neuropressure," said Tom as he removed his shirt, and ordered the program to place his patient in the same position as McCoy. "And quite frankly, given the choice between T'Pol and Spock as one's teacher, who wouldn't take Spock?" McCoy's papers had been more detailed than Phlox's; one in particular that Tom had almost overlooked in his search, indicated McCoy had written from personal experience. It therefore seemed logical for Tom to pair him up with Spock. For his own patient, he'd opted to use the gigolo from Sandrine's for now as he was already programmed, saving Tom some work. He also knew he'd prefer to work on the real Chakotay rather than a fake.

Thanks to the Doctor's insistence Tom be well grounded in human anatomy, he was able to follow Spock's instructions to place his palms on his patient's back so that the lower curve of the scapula, shoulder blade he mentally substituted, fitted into the webbing between his thumb and forefinger to allow him to find the correct vertebral level. He quickly checked the placement of his hand matched Spock's, and then inched them further along the spine. The circular movement of Spock's thumbs wasn't so different from when Tom massaged the knots from Chakotay's back, except the pressure was much lighter.

Spock's mellifluous tones instructed him to make sure he was lateral to the fifth thoracic spinous process and that he would know when he found the right spot.

"Not exactly helpful, Mr Spock," muttered Tom. He paused the program and repeated the circular movement several times. Still not quite sure what he was supposed to be feeling, he shifted to sit next to Spock and reset the program to run from the finding of the scapula landmark.

"I think I've got it," he said after watching Spock repeat the motion twice more.

He took his place behind the gigolo and started again. "Oh, yeah," he breathed, when he found the spot where the feel of the tissues changed. He increased the pressure and was rewarded with a groan from the gigolo almost identical to McCoy's. Now he knew what to look for, he matched Spock's moves with relative ease, and together they stimulated the neural nodes along the spine. 

"One more time, from the beginning." Tom ran the program for the first posture again. "I so need someone to do this for me," he murmured as he worked, and wondered whether he could convince Chakotay to learn the movements. "I know the one for the feet is something we can do on each other at the same time."

A quick check of the time confirmed he could make a start learning the second posture, which was the one for the feet. The gigolo worked on Tom's with the consummate ease of a Vulcan, not surprising given Tom had programmed him with the same knowledge of neuropressure as the holographic Spock and McCoy.

All too soon, his time was up. Back in their quarters, Chakotay was awake. Tom quickly explained what he'd been learning, not having previously filled Chakotay in on the details. 

"So, can I try this on you tomorrow night? Even though I've only learnt the first two parts?"

"I don't know, Tom. Headaches? Paralysis?"

"Better sleep," wheedled Tom. "My hands on you. Your back, your feet, your body...."

"Your hands are welcome on my body any time. Very well, it's a deal. You may try out your neuropressure techniques on me tomorrow night.

Epilogue: He did. Chakotay liked it. Over time, Tom actually became quite proficient at neuropressure, although to Tuvok's relief, he never did master the Vulcan neck pinch.


End file.
